101
Reader,
This last week was going really well until the screen on my laptop cracked and it felt like things were falling apart around me. Devices are a strange thing, I guess. Here’s something I wasn’t particularly thinking about throwing me off for more than a day before I (literally) went and touched some grass (there was a picnic!) despite my main connection to the digital world being severed. Thank goodness for small mercies, though, like an old machine I’m able to use before my usual one is fixed (if at all) and YB’s and my mother’s advice when I was almost wholly consumed by anxiety.
Before that mishap, I’d been proceeding at about a book a day and feeling pretty good about a week off wage work. A dear friend had helped me realise how often I go into these breaks with no plans (much to consider there, Mike!) so I brought out Ye Oulde Whiteboard and mapped out the days I had off work and it made a world of difference. Reading was a huge part of those plans, of course, but so was walking, meditating, TV watching (I finally finished Succession), YouTube uploading and planning and I’m proud about the fact that I made something of the time I had.
Lastly, someone asked me this week if Entry 100 would be the last one and I think we’ll keep this going for a while yet. It’s been a great opportunity to think in public, to document happenings in my world and the bookish universe, and especially to build community and I’m inclined to keep at it.
______
Triathlon Dreams
I passed up Day 3 of my nth restart of Couch to 5K Week 1 because of my device issues but had the chance to do the Standard Chartered Marathon 10K today so all’s well. Next time, we run!
______
Quick news/ things that may be of interest:
Free Palestine: A Verso Reading List (includes some free ebooks)
The Woman Is No Messiah: An Anthology from Isele Magazine
I was in a video with Shawn the Book Maniac talking about The Extremely Long Paragraph in fiction
Free copy of this book with the code FORGAZA
Free to download: a new Brittle Paper anthology on the theme of AI
Dracula Daily continues apace. Jump on if you’re keen
You can send me books, postcards, letters, and assorted items via PO Box 102439, Jamia Posta 00101, Nairobi, Kenya
I have finished four books since I last wrote to you - 2 e-book titles: Cold Enough for Snow by Jessica Au and Mom and Dad, We Need to Talk: How to Have Essential Conversations with Your Parents About Their Finances by Cameron Huddleston as well as 2 audiobooks: Your Driver Is Waiting by Priya Guns (read by the author) and The Reason You Walk by Wab Kinew (read by the author). My latest videos are of the books I finished in the weeks ending 1st October, 8th October, 15th October and 22nd October. To catch the videos I’m working on when they’re done, subscribe to the channel if you haven’t yet!
As ever, please write back to me and tell me what books you’re reading or looking forward to reading — it’s always a great time talking about books.
Enjoy the week ahead and have a lovely time reading. Talk to you soon!